Facility/Theater manager pay rates

[Sayen]

I realize this will vary wildly by location and job, but in preparation for our next financial year, which rolls over during the summer, I'm working on a proposal to revamp our rental policies, including fees for the facility, equipment, and staff. Facility rates I can draw from nearby locations, but it's harder to find out salaries. I'm curious what would be considered a reasonable hourly pay rate for the following positions in a professional environment.

Manager - opens the building and closes for the renters, supervises all setup including technical setup onstage. Must be able to operate audio, lighting, and rigging positions, and manages a small staff. For professional rentals this may mean sitting back and enjoying the show, for amateurs who rent it means becoming stage manager.

Student technician - expected to be proficient in whatever area they are working.

I recently found out that our rates are astronomically high, which is why no one rents from us, and for the few renters that come through I'm the manager, and I'm paid less than custodial.

Thanks,

 

[theatretechguy]

Working for a school district, our space rental is pretty reasonable rental-wise. For an "evening" (about 4 hours during the week) you're looking at around $350 rental (includes technician). For a weekend (Saturday, entire day) it's about $1200 with technician for the whole time. Our space seats nearly 1000 For certain events, additional student techs are usually volunteer (with the understanding that they usually will get a gift-card or something). If the event is charging money or its a fundraising event, the district will usually ask for additional fees. Groups are responsible for their own security and must carry a $1,000,000 rider on their insurance for the event.

As a tech I'm salary so I don't get extra compensation for these events. (Typical tech can make between $20 and $40 an hour, depending on experience).

Unfortunately, fees like this don't begin to really cover the costs of running the building (electricity, maintenance fees, etc), so trying to "make money" doing rentals probably won't be possible and any fees will help offset the costs of running the facility.

 

[Footer]

Look at your local IA rates. These can vary grossly by location. You will want to look for what a "crew chief" or BA gets paid per hour as well as what a stagehand gets paid per hour. This can go anywhere from 15 dollars an hour to 60-100. Without geographic info, I can't even ball-park it.

 

[tech2000]

In my district, we charge:
Event Manager-$35/hr.
Technician-$20/hr.
Student Assistants-$15/hr.
Custodial-$30/hr.
Outside school district events (Minus Kent Parks and Rec.)
Theater-$35/hr.
Boiler/AC-$30/day
Everyone
Equipment Rental-$50 whenever the grand piano is used, but can also be charged if there is our equipment being used for their event also in the gym or commons, or if there is damage.
Booking Fee-$10

I don't think I'm missing anything.

 

[Sayen]

Look at your local IA rates. These can vary grossly by location. You will want to look for what a "crew chief" or BA gets paid per hour as well as what a stagehand gets paid per hour. This can go anywhere from 15 dollars an hour to 60-100. Without geographic info, I can't even ball-park it.

Phoenix, Arizona - but I'll definitely check out the local.

 

[ReiRei]

The student technicians here are paid minimum wage, $8.40/hour.

I think our theatre manager is paid something along the lines of $15-$20/hour.

We charge separately for people to use just our theatre, or our theatre plus things like our costume room, our projector, and our blackbox. There is a minimum of three paid techs and the theatre manager that must be hired to run the show.

A dance company came on Saturday and my theatre manager told me that they were paying around $2400 to rent the theatre. They paid $2400 for 9 and a half hours of rehearsal and show time.

 

[cprted]

New 750 seat pros theatre, one day rental runs you $850. This includes the TD for 8 hours (gets a one-hour meal break somewhere in the middle) and FoH staff for 5 hours. TD overtime is $30/hr. Additional technicians run you $13/hr (minimum 4 hour call, time and a half after 8 hours).

I think its a pretty wicked deal.

 

[cdub260]

New 750 seat pros theatre, one day rental runs you $850. This includes the TD for 8 hours (gets a one-hour meal break somewhere in the middle) and FoH staff for 5 hours. TD overtime is $30/hr. Additional technicians run you $13/hr (minimum 4 hour call, time and a half after 8 hours).

I think its a pretty wicked deal.

You get a meal break?:shock: When I act as Facilities Manager I'm on the clock as long as I have an open building. I can take an on the clock meal break, but I cannot leave the premises unless all buildings are secured. The exception here is the rare occasion when I'm working with another member of our staff on an outside event. In this case, that person would act as Facilities Manager while I took a meal break. For most facilities rentals, the Facilities Manager is the only staff we provide.

 

[cprted]

You get a meal break?:shock: When I act as Facilities Manager I'm on the clock as long as I have an open building. I can take an on the clock meal break, but I cannot leave the premises unless all buildings are secured. The exception here is the rare occasion when I'm working with another member of our staff on an outside event. In this case, that person would act as Facilities Manager while I took a meal break. For most facilities rentals, the Facilities Manager is the only staff we provide.

We sure do! I think it is one of the best things in our rental contract. TD gets a one hour meal break in which all clients must be out of the building so it can get locked down and alarmed if we so choose. If that is not feasible, meal penalty applies, which is $15 (straight into my pocket) and the client has to provide the TD with a meal. I love meal penalties.

 

[Erwin]

Our fees are very similar to CPRTED's. Our house is smaller, and the rental fee is smaller, but everything else is about the same. Even the meal part.

We started the meal break part because 2 groups in particular would rent the facility, stay for 18 hours a day 14days straight, while giving their staff different shifts and I would feel like I was in jail! So now, I get a dinner break, and lock up the building while I get some fresh air, or they pay for someone to cover my break (4hour min).

 

[ruinexplorer]

Remember that when you get union rates, you are getting employee rates. The union is not an employer but a referral service that negotiates contracts. In other words, whomever hires union must also be providing workman's comp insurance and everything else required of an employee. If you were to get the rates from a non-union staging company (Rhino is a good example in your area), you are getting rates from a company that is paying for all of those requirements. That would give you a better idea of what you would need to charge, in my opinion.

 

[Stagetechi]

At South Redford School District we charge a flat four hour minimum rate for all our rentals. The Auditorium Manager and custodial fees are included in this rate. However any student and/or professional labor is billed at an hourly rate. All installed equipment is included, although we do charge a set/strike rate to remove the orchestra pit top and the acoustic orchestra shell.

The fee structure is as follows:

Room Rental: Performances
$200.00 Resident (Four Hour Minimum)
$250.00/Hour Non-Resident (Four Hour Minimum)
$150.00/Hour (Each Hour or portion thereof after four hours)
Room Rental: Rehearsals
$75.00 Resident (Four Hour Minimum)
$100.00/Hour Non-Resident (Four Hour Minimum)
$75.00/Hour (Each Hour or portion thereof after four hours)

Additional fees are as follows:

Student Labor: $10.00/Hour (Four Hour Minimum)
Professional Labor $30.00/Hour (Four Hour Minimum)
Used Only Upon Request Of Lessee
Electrical Tie In:
200A Triple Phase $800.00
100A Triple Phase $400.00
Acoustic Shell: $150.00
Setup & Strike Included
Orchestra Pit: $350.00
Setup & Strike Included
Consumables:
Gel $7.00/Sheet
3” Gaffer Tape $25.00/Roll

I have not made provision for meal breaks as of yet, but it's a valid point and I think I will submit a proposal for meal penalties so that I can lock down the building.

We have found this rate covers the costs nicely. For events that have more than 350 in attendnace we require an on duty police officer to be in attendance.

 

[Sayen]

Very interesting - when you talk about electrical tie in, is that just for access to your switch, or are you providing additional equipment/labor?